Always Times Thousands
by Kat Spencer
Summary: Jack comes down from DC to visit Sam while she is recuperating in the infirmary. 'LITS' spoilers


Title: Always Times Thousands

Author: Kat Spencer

Summary: Jack comes down from DC to visit Sam while she is recuperating in the infirmary.

Missing scene from Line in the Sand

Author's note: I found that I love Line in the Sand, but I also found it was missing a scene, at the end, I thought it would be great if Jack had come and visited Sam…this is definitely A/U.

Always Times Thousands

General Jack O'Neill sighed again as he made his descent to the infirmary. First Daniel, now it was Sam. As a General, he dreaded any calls that had to do with casualties, missing or hurt members of the SGC; but when those people were members of SG-1, it hit closer to home…a lot closer to home. Those were his team members, Daniel and Teal'c his best friends, Sam…Sam, she was so much more.

He shook his head of the thoughts. At least she was okay; she would be fine in a few weeks. Daniel…well, Daniel always came back. Jack was positive they would see their friend again.

Finally, Jack was rescued from his thoughts as the elevator doors opened. "Sir, it's good to see you," Lieutenant Mark Granger told him as he spotted and saluted Jack.

"You too…Granger," Jack said as he gave a quick 'as you were'; he left Granger in the hallway and was on his way once again.

"O'Neill," the deep baritone of Teal'c's voice was always hard to miss.

Jack turned and smiled at his friend. "T! Hey, how's it goin'?" Jack asked.

"As well as to be expected with our current situations," Teal'c told him as he began walking with Jack.

"I was just here to-"

"Visit Colonel Carter, she will be very surprised to see you, she does not know of your arrival?"

"No, no…she doesn't, I wanted to surprised her…when I got the call this morning, I couldn't be here fast enough…she uh-if I had-"

"O'Neill there is no reason to explain yourself, not to me, I will let you be on your way," Teal'c said as he bowed his head and left Jack, heading to his quarters. The Jaffa knew that Jack would rather be with Sam right now.

Jack took a breath as he made his way to the infirmary doorway. "Mitchell!" Jack almost shouted as he saw that Cameron Mitchell was sitting on Sam's bed as she was sitting up, pillows propped up behind her, a laptop sat on her lap, and she was wide awake.

"Sir! I didn't know you were coming in, sir," Mitchell said as he saluted to Jack.

"As you were, Colonel," Jack told him, but his eyes were locked with Sam's.

"Yes, sir, I was just leaving…I'll, uh, see you later Sam," he told her.

She nodded her acknowledgement, but her eyes didn't waiver from Jack's eyes.

"Hey, there," Jack said quietly as he took the seat that Mitchell had occupied moments before. He took the laptop from her and placed it on the table that was beside her bed.

"Hey," Sam told him, she looked a little tired, but her smile was big and bright.

"How are you feeling?"

"Still sore, but I in a few weeks I should be fine…so, what took you so long?" Sam joked as he placed his hand lightly on her hands that were folded over her stomach.

"I left as soon as I heard the news…first Daniel, then you? I couldn't have lived with-" Jack stopped and turned from her gaze.

"Jack," she prodded quietly.

"I'm so glad…beyond words that you are okay, my flight over I was a wreak, needing updates every five minutes…Sam if you had-"

"But I didn't."

"But you could have…"

"I'm here, Jack," she told him, all the confidence she didn't have in her when she was on the planet somehow walked in with the man that sat down beside her. Now he was the one who needed some of it.

"I know-"

"I would have died knowing that you love me, that you married me because of it…"

"Somehow that's not enough for me, Sam…when's the last time we saw each other?" he asked.

"Umm, that would have been Tuesday night…modern technology, web cams, gotta love it, Jack," Sam told him, smiling.

"I meant really see each other, as in person…but now that you mention it _was_ fun, the striptease was great-"

"I did not!" Sam exclaimed, hitting him in the arm.

"Oh, right…that was in my dreams, we really need to try that sometime, you're hot, Sam. But, no I was just sayin' that we _never_ see each other, kind of pertinent in a marriage; and not just on a web cam. I'm thinking of retiring, Sam."

"I know, Jack."

"Really thinking of retiring, especially these last few weeks…I can't take watching my friends…my wife trek off world into some unknowable future."

"It's what we've always done, Jack."

"I know, but don't you think it's time to quit while we're ahead? I mean after Daniel is found of course…with the news of you this morning...I thought of all that we don't have together, a house for one…kids, we don't have any of those, need some of those, Sam. All the dreams I had for you and me, a second chance at a real life for me would have died with you," he told her.

"Mine too…so when are we planning this retirement?"

"Umm…I uh, put in my resignation two days ago-"

"Jack."

"I know, I know we said we would discuss it first…I just can't take anymore of the worry…almost two years of marriage and we've never been in the same city for more than a week together-"

"Jack, you shouldn't have-when does it go into affect?"

"Three weeks, enough time to promote someone, to get Daniel back here for a little retirement party-"

"Jack," Sam said again, sighing.

"I know, but ten years is a long time, Sam," he told her. She let out her breath slowly, trying to gather her thoughts.

"It is…lying there, thinking I was going to die, I thought of how might have wasted 10 years of my life…but then I realized those ten years, they might have given me pain and even a little regret, they also gave me you, Jack," Sam smiled again.

"And when you say things like that it makes me want to retire right in that moment…and kiss you," he told her as he took her hand and raised it to his lips and kissed it softly.

"Jack."

"I know, we have to be careful, no one needs to know our business but us…and Daniel…Teal'c…ahh, Cassie, the President…too, can't forget him-"

"Jack...and anyway you're already retiring," Sam smiled again.

"Yeah, well, I _am_ retiring, aren't I?" he asked as he cleared his throat.

"Here?" Sam joked.

"Yeah, there's this hot blonde I know, she's great…I'm sure she'd let me stay with her. Until we could find our own place…"

"Our own place, huh?"

"Yeah, you know not my place, not your place, but _our_ place…a place that we both go home to…our home, where we raise our kids and-and…"

"Watch The Simpsons?"

"Yes…and you know that it was me who told you that you would learn to love it," he told her as he smiled down at her.

Sam smiled too. "I know, fishing too," he told her.

"Ahh, yes, fishing…have I ever told you that it's great for recuperating from stomach wounds?" he asked.

"No, you never did," she smiled.

"Oh, yeah…great, and plus it's sorta our thing now, fishing, cabin…well, you know the last time we were at the cabin we _surprisingly_ didn't get any fishing in-"

"Jack we didn't get anything in that didn't include eating…and well…_other_ things," she smiled.

"Ahh, yes, those other things, I love those!" Jack exclaimed.

"I know…so do I," Sam said as she lightly touched his face.

"Yes, well, Dr. Lam said you could even be home in a few days…bed rest there, as long as you had someone to check on you once in a while…or just there 24-7," he told her.

Sam smiled at her husband. "Jack, you have to get back to DC-three weeks isn't much time to get things packed."

"No, no, I don't, the president gave me a week off…you have time off…we can be off together…and packing won't take that long, not for me anyway," he told her.

"That sounds nice, Jack…I-" Sam stopped.

"What is it?"

"I'm so glad that…that we're together…that we-I couldn't imagine what it would be like to die knowing that you never knew how I felt about you, knowing how you really felt about me. I'm glad that didn't have to happen," Sam sighed.

"Me, too, Sam, me too," he smiled at her.

"We won't have to hide it anymore…not that we were really hiding it before…it's just, not everyone knows now and now…"

"And now we can do things like…make-out in public-"

"Jack."

"Just kidding, though we _could_ make-out in public if we _wanted_…" he smiled.

"Tell me something Jack," Sam questioned, remembering a long ago conversation.

"What's that?"

"If I had died-"

"Sam."

"No, just listen, if I had died…and you could go back and meet me all over again, would you do it again, knowing my fate?" she asked.

"Thousands of times over," he said without hesitation. "Though, one thing…you so wouldn't have been my 2IC…just my little astrophysicist," Jack smiled.

"I love you, Jack," Sam told him.

"I love you too."

Jack took her hand in his and linked his fingers with hers. "I'm glad you're here," she told him.

"I'm glad _you're_ here…but I've already said that, so why don't you just close your eyes and rest, huh?"

"You'll be here when I wake up?"

"Of course."

"Two weeks after next and then you'll be here-" Sam started out.

"Always," Jack smiled.

"Always," she repeated.

THE END!

Author's note: At first, I didn't have Jack retiring in this fic, and then…I changed my mind! I hope that you found it to be…something. Thanks for reading, please review!


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